Responding to a shouted question about Cuba, Trump described a ship stopping roughly 50 yards offshore and said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would then be sent to “finish up the deal.” Trump did not explain what such a deal would involve. The comments revive an idea he raised earlier this year but had not discussed publicly in recent months.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a longtime critic of Cuba’s socialist government, called for action in a social media post shortly after Trump spoke. Addressing people seeking “positive change,” Rubio urged them to use what he called an opportunity for change through a “discrete partnership with the CIA.”

The remarks came days before U.S. midterm elections, as voters have expressed concern about the Iran war’s effects on prices, including gasoline and groceries. Trump has previously said Cuba could be next for U.S. intervention after the Iran conflict winds down, though the war has not ended.

The administration has combined public threats with efforts to engage Havana. Trump said at the United Nations General Assembly last month that Rubio was in negotiations with Cuba, and later predicted the countries could reach a deal without military force. Rubio has said the administration hopes to resolve differences peacefully, while questioning whether Cuba’s current government would agree to a diplomatic solution. The United States has also imposed additional sanctions on Cuba after talks between officials.

Cuba has faced a prolonged economic and energy crisis since 2020. Its 10 million residents have endured blackouts, food shortages and inflation, alongside widespread migration and protests. The U.S. economic embargo, in place for decades, remains a point of dispute between the two governments.